Taylor Graham Speaks With BSB Subscribers

Bill Greene

07/08/2009

The commitment of Taylor Graham ended the Ohio State search for a quarterback for the 2010 recruiting class. Graham, son of former Buckeye Kent Graham, was gracious enough to answer questions posed by BSB subscribers. Check out the article by Bill Greene to see if your question was answered.

Greene: Are you ready to get this done? Graham: "Yes sir, I'm ready to go."

stxbuck asks: Where in Ohio is your family originally from? What is your favorite route to throw? What lessons has your dad taught you from his NFL experiences? Graham: "We are not from Ohio. My dad and mom got married when he played for Ohio State and I was born there. I like throwing anything deep. I love to throw it long. My dad works with me on the mental part of the game, like reading defenses and being a leader from the quarterback position. We watch film together, and what we do now is he draws up defenses on a blackboard and asks me what I should do. We do a lot of that type of stuff."

g10buck asks: Have you followed your recruitment over the internet? How often do you or other recruits visit these sites? Who's your favorite internet writer, Bill Greene excluded? Graham: "I don't spend too much time on the internet but I do check it out from time to time. I'm not sure how much time other recruits spend following recruiting. I like reading what Buckeye fans are saying about me. My favorite internet writer is Tim O'Halloran from here in Illinois. He's helped me a lot and has written a lot of articles about me."

pattybuck asks: What was the driving force behind you picking Ohio State? Los Angeles and the beach had to be tempting, right? Graham: "I would say all along I've been looking for the right fit and Ohio State just has everything I'm looking for in a school. UCLA was a little tempting but I'm a Mid-West guy and I'm comfortable here."

gobux2323 asks: Did Coach Tressel's religious background have an effect on you? It seems like you are a Christian from what I've read about you. Graham: "Yes, I am a Christian and I understand that Coach Tressel is as well. That was not the driving force behind my decision, because I know wherever I go that there will be people from all religions and I respect that. Coach Tressel being a Christian was just one more positive about Ohio State."

krenzel16 asks: Will your dad be moving to Columbus to watch you play? Does he still follow Ohio State and did he want you to come here? What motivated you to come to Ohio State's camp? What kind of leader are you? Do you plan on helping to recruit the rest of your class? What former Ohio State quarterback would you compare yourself to? Graham: "My dad is in business in Illinois and he won't be moving to Columbus. My dad is a big Buckeye fan but he wanted me to find the best fit. He's very happy and very proud that I'm a Buckeye. I thought I needed to get to camps because I was injured last year and there wasn't much film on me. I've always been a big Buckeye fan and I thought going to Ohio State to try to earn an offer was the right thing to do. I'm not big on evaluating myself so it's hard for me to describe what type of leader I am. I will leave that to people who have played with me. I'm going to be as involved as the Ohio State coaches want me to be in recruiting others to Ohio State. I've spoken to C. J. Fedorowicz and we are pretty good friends. I would compare myself to my dad, absolutely. From watching film I think we are very similar. He can still throw the football really well."

UAGolden Buckeye asks: Have you spoken to any other Ohio State recruits? Will you be attending any other camps this year? Graham: "A couple days after I committed I was contacted by Scott McVey and David Durham, and we got along real well. Absolutely not. I am done seeing other schools. I am a Buckeye for life. I gave them my word and I would never go back on my word."

peeblesbuck asks: Describe the extent of your injury from last season. Has it bothered you this summer and will you be 100% by fall? Graham: "I broke my left tibia at the very bottom of my ankle. I had surgery and I have three screws in there currently. I am 100% right now but it gets a little stiff after working out."

Ftball77 asks: How does it feel to have quarterback gurus like Norm Chow and David Cutcliffe recruit you? Graham: "It was a great feeling and Coach Chow was hard to pass up. It's a real confidence booster to have guys like that want you to play for them. After meeting Coach [Nick] Siciliano at Ohio State I realized he was a great coach also. We've spoken a few times and his knowledge of the game is impressive."

louieq asks: What do you think of soccer? Graham: "I actually played soccer as a kid. I'm not a big world soccer fan today. I played goalie as a kid because of my size."

diznick asks: Do you like the new Buckeye uniforms, or the old ones? Turf vs. grass in the Horseshoe? Should there be gray in the end zone letters? What's the best college football game you've ever seen? Graham: "I can't tell the difference between the uniforms, to be honest with you. I love wearing my James Laurinaitis jersey. I like turf because it's a consistent playing surface every time. I like the end zone colors exactly as they are right now. The best college game I've ever seen was between Wheaton and Augustana a few years ago. It was a triple overtime game and it was back and forth the whole time."

Irishguy asks: How tall are you and does your height help you see downfield? Any other recruits you want to join you in Columbus? Graham: "I am officially 6-foot-4 and it does help seeing over the linemen. As long as you are around 6-foot-2 it seems to be a big help. As you take your drop it's actually pretty easy to see over everybody. I would say I know C.J. Fedorowicz and Laken Tomlinson, and would love to see both guys end up here."

royalte asks: Will you name your first-born son Brutus? Family Guy, South Park or the Simpsons? Graham: "Brutus [laughing]? I don't think so [more laughter]. I have to go with the Simpsons [laughing]."

drewlaw00buck asks: What is your best attribute as a football player? What pro athlete were you most fond of growing up, other than your dad? Are there many Ohio State fans in Illinois? Graham: "I hate evaluating myself. I think I'll leave that one up to Bill [laughing]. It IS my dad [laughing]. I've always liked Carson Palmer, and I know Buckeye fans will hate that after the comments he made about Ohio State last year. He's the perfect pro-style quarterback and I'd like to be like him. There are a lot of Buckeye fans here. I see as much Ohio State stuff as I do Illinois stuff."

Ftball77 asks: If you to compare your style and your game to another quarterback, who would it be? Graham: "I would again say Carson Palmer. I'm a pro-style guy, just like he is. We are similar from a mobility standpoint and we both have good arms. I want to point out that I'm just heading into my senior year of high school and haven't accomplished anything yet, so I know a comparison to someone with his accomplishments is ridiculous."

buckwild23 asks: What Ohio State coach recruited you? What number do you want at Ohio State? What will you major in in college? What are your hobbies? What is your favorite NFL team? Graham: "I was recruited by Dick Tressel. We met a few months ago and he's just like his brother, very personable. I wear #17 right now, but I'm thinking about switching to #6. I'd like to study business, possibly marketing. I love playing golf for a hobby. I'm a huge college football fan. I sit there on Saturday from noon to midnight, watching every game that's on. I'm a big Bears fan and there's a lot of excitement with Jay Cutler coming on board."

naplesbuckeye2002 asks: How long did the Graham's live in Ohio? Graham: "We were here when my dad was at Ohio State. My dad is originally from Wheaton and we moved back here when his NFL career ended. I have also lived in New York, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and Detroit."

LCBuck asks: Who is the best player you've played against? What's your favorite food? Graham: "My sophomore year I was moved up to the varsity, and the first round of the playoffs we went up against Morgan Park. They had a defensive end named Craig Drummond, who's at Mississippi today. He was big and fast, and I thought he was the best player I've played against to this point. I love Mexican food, specifically tacos and nachos."

Chidragon asks: When did you start playing football? What was it like when your dad was in the NFL? What are your favorite subjects in school? Favorite movie? What do you like most about the Chicago suburbs? Graham: "When we lived in Pittsburgh I started playing Pop Warner football. I believe I was in the second grade and I played defensive end. In Illinois I started playing quarterback in the eight grade. It was great having my dad in the NFL and the only bad part was having him away from home so much. I loved going to the facilities and hanging out with the other players. In school, I'm a big gym and lunch guy [laughing]. My favorite movie is Remember The Titans. I love going to Wrigley Field the most. High school football on Friday nights is a blast also."

CaliBuckeye asks: What was your second choice? What are your thoughts on "The Game?" Graham: "There was no second choice really. I loved all the options I had, but I would say UCLA, Iowa and Michigan State stood out the most. The Ohio State-Michigan game is the greatest rivalry in all of sports. I can't wait to be a part of it, whether it's at the Big House or in the Horseshoe. I know how fortunate I am to be a part of it."

GoodOleBuck asks: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden. Rank them. Tool or Radiohead? Magnum P.I. or Hawaii Five-0? Graham: "Wow, I'm clueless on most of that. I do like Magnum P.I. I have watched that."

OSUAGer asks: What were your stats from last year? Will you send Bill a highlight tape? Cubs or Sox? Do you play baseball and how hard do you throw? Graham: "Last year I threw for 950 yards. I had six touchdowns and one interception. I got hurt in the fifth game. The highlight tape is on the way because we just made copies the other day. Cubbies all the way. I was a pitcher but I stopped playing my freshman year."

TRT25 asks: What were thoughts on Troy Smith winning the Heisman Trophy at Ohio State? Graham: "It was cool seeing Troy win the Heisman. I watched him a lot that year. He was a pro-style quarterback that could run and I loved seeing a Buckeye get that award again."

Buckeyebeef asks: What are your fondest memories of your dad playing pro football? Graham: "I loved being able to get to know all the guys and seeing my dad on television all the time. I loved the city of Pittsburgh the best, and I have great memories of our time there."

VBCoach asks: How do you view Ohio football? What impressed you about Ohio State from a student's perspective? How does it feel committing to Ohio State as a Buckeye legacy? Graham: "I think Ohio and Illinois both play great high school football, but the Ohio State Buckeye fans are far more passionate than the Illini fans. I feel that Ohio State can provide so much because there is a big-city feel, and yet the farm country isn't far away. I like the contrast between the two. It's great being a legacy knowing that I can go through a lot of the things my dad went through."

krenzel16 asks: Have you heard of Braxton Miller, and what do you think of the possibility of him committing to Ohio State right behind you? Would you consider helping to recruit him?
Graham: "I have heard of him and I've heard great things about him. I understand wherever I go there will be great competition. I believe competition brings out the best in people, and I want Ohio State to bring in the best players they can, year after year. I would welcome him with open arms and I would help recruit him in any way I can."

Greene: Thanks Taylor. I appreciate you taking the time to do this. Graham: "It was my pleasure. Stay in touch and let me know if I can do anything else for you."